James 4:4 says, "Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?"
Have you ever considered what is implied here?
First of all, we need to address a false idea that sometimes is thrown around. This does not mean that having friends who are not Christians is somehow evil. The context is not about people but about evil desires. It's about "wars" that people wage in churches when they don't get their way.
Doing things the way the world does them means NOT doing things as God wants us to do them. James is talking about processes, corrupt, ungodly systems that can be employed to take what we want from others. It's about ungodly things in this world. If that includes people, it's about colluding with people to do evil.
But the implications of this verse are powerful!
- It's about materialism vs. trusting God.
- It is about relationships and social pressures.
- It's about our use of time and resources.
- It's about a way of living that this world has "figured out" that is contrary to living as God wants us to live.
Christianity is far more than a weekend hobby. It is a way of life that incorporates the most fundamental thinking and activities of life.
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